Autumn statement: £600m for science

In the Autumn Statement (5 December) , the Chancellor of the Exchequer unveiled a £600 million injection into the UK's scientific research infrastructure.

President of the British Psychological Society Dr Peter Banister has welcomed this but said that more can always be done to support the wider range of science, including psychology.

The £600 million boost will be directed at eight strands of research outlined by George Osborne in a November speech to the Royal Society and brings the total capital spending in science since 2010 to more than £1.5 billion, the BBC reports.

President of the Royal Society Paul Nurse said this investment would help make sure the country's world-leading scientists have the best facilities.

He added that there is some way still to go to match the public and private level so investment in research, "but we have the advantage of already being truly world class in many areas of science".

Dr Banister commented: "The Chancellor's announcement of substantial investment in science is good news. And recognises the vital role of science."

But he added the whole range of scientific work in the UK needs to be supported.

"Psychology has the potential to contribute to interdisciplinary science in all the eight areas but also there are many other areas we can contribute to within science to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of advances internationally," Dr Banister concluded.